Apostles

Catholic and Methodist theologians wind up a meeting at the weekend that has been marking the 50th anniversary of their first ecumenical dialogue group, established in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. The first session of the Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission was held in the hill town of Ariccia in October 1967. Pope Francis met with members of the [...]

Pope Francis on Thursday morning celebrated Mass in St Peter’s Square to mark the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. In his homily the Pope focused on three words, confession, persecution and prayer, which he said are essential for the life of an apostle today. Please see below the full text of Pope Francis’ homily at [...]

No Christian can exist without joy: that’s what Pope Francis said in his Homily at Mass Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta guesthouse. The Pope stressed that even through life’s difficulties, the Christian knows he can trust in Jesus and find hope. The Pope also reminded the faithful they should not allow riches [...]

“We are not alone! And the sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit is also the peace that Jesus gives to his disciples” Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! The Gospel of today brings us again to the Upper Room. During the Last Supper, before facing the Passion and death on a cross, Jesus [...]

Ever since Pentecost the “protagonist of the Church” has been the Holy Spirit: it is he who “moves all things”, who helps us “to be strong in martyrdom” but also to “overcome the resistance” that can emerge within Christian community. During Mass at Santa Marta on Thursday morning, 28 April, Pope Francis recounted the history of [...]

There are two types of persecution against Christians, the Pope said on Tuesday morning, 12 April, during Mass at Santa Marta. There is the explicit kind — to which he related the martyrs killed at Easter in Pakistan — and the sort of persecution that is “polite, disguised as culture, modernity and progress”, and ends up [...]

The Church needs the witness of martyrs, of “consistent” Christians who “live their life in earnest”. In his reflection during Mass at Santa Marta on Thursday morning, 7 April, Pope Francis pondered the vital lymph of the Church, the “living blood” which carries her forth day by day: testimony. The meditation was inspired by the liturgy [...]

In order to live in harmony and in mutual support the Christian community must be reborn in the Holy Spirit. There are two signs to help us understand whether we are on the right path: disinterest regarding money and the courage to bear witness to the Risen Christ. Pope Francis made this point during Mass at [...]

“Praying and witnessing” are the “two tasks of bishops”, who are the “pillars of the Church”. But should they weaken it is the People of God who suffer. This is why, during Mass at Santa Marta on Friday morning, 22 January Pope Francis recommended persistent prayers for the successors of the Twelve Apostles. The Pontiff’s reflection [...]